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A number of strong awards contenders have opened already and are working their way around the country.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordThe studio appears to be bailing fast on director Andrew Dominik's attenuated Western, but it has a lot of critics in its corner, who'll stump for the beautiful Roger Deakins cinematography and the performances of Brad Pitt as James and Casey Affleck as his assassin. (Warner Bros.)Read THR review

ControlAnton Corbijn directs this biopic of suicidal Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, and Sam Riley's portrayal of the haunted, angular Curtis is widely regarded as one of the best of the year. (The Weinstein Co.)Read THR review

In the Valley of ElahDespite fading buzz, Paul Haggis' police procedural is still getting respect for Tommy Lee Jones' performance as a retired military man looking into his soldier son's disappearance. (Warner Independent)Read THR review

Into the WildRumor has it that Academy screenings for Sean Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's non-fiction bestseller have not exactly been love fests, but a younger generation of filmgoers is responding deeply to this true story of doomed nature enthusiast Chris McCandless (well-played by Emile Hirsch). (Paramount Vantage)Read THR review

RenditionA high-powered cast -- including Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal -- grapple with the repercussions of the U.S. policy toward terror suspects in a heavily political thriller directed by Oscar-winning "Tsotsi" helmer Gavin Hood. A strong push for one or more of the actors could gain some traction. (New Line)Read THR review

Reservation RoadActing awards favorites Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Connelly go through extremes of emotion as people united by a car accident and the loss of a child. (Focus features)Read THR review

Things We Lost in the FireDanish director Susanne Bier crafts this unconventional romance, starring Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro as two broken people who start to heal when they move in together. (DreamWorks/Paramount)Read THR review